VIDALIA — Most coaches don’t like to say that one game can make or break a season, but Vidalia High School head coach Dee Faircloth isn’t like most coaches.

When talking about his game Friday against Bunkie High School, Faircloth said it’s no secret that the Vikings’ playoff hopes rest upon the outcome.

“They’re leading our district right now,” Faircloth said. “If they beat us, they win district, so this is like their district championship game. If we win, we’ll be in the driver’s seat, so it’s a big game.”

The Vikings (3-4, 2-1) will host Bunkie for their final home game of the season.

Bunkie is led by senior quarterback Kendrick Leary, and Faircloth said the multi-talented gunslinger would pose quite a challenge for his defense.

“He’s the No. 1 player in our district,” Faircloth said. “He’s tough to stop. He’s a thrower and a runner, kind of like what Michael Vick used to do when he was with the Falcons.”

Bunkie also looks to bring a solid defense to the table Friday, and Faircloth said Leary also plays a factor on that side of the ball as well.

“They’re pretty tough on defense,” Faircloth said. “They have some big linemen and they swarm to the ball.

“Two years ago (against them), one of our receivers caught a pass and had a 25-yard lead on Leary, but he still ran the guy down. I said to myself, ‘Where did he come from? He was on a motorcycle.’”

Leary’s accolades also extend to special teams play, where he assumes kickoff and punt return duties.

“When he gets into the open field, he’s able to make things happen,” Faircloth said.

The weather has been much better for the Vikings’ practices this week, but with the threat of rain Wednesday night and during the day today, Faircloth foresees having to move practices back indoors.

“We might need to go back into the gym,” Faircloth said, annoyed at the prospect.

“Gyms are for basketball teams. The only positive things from practicing in the gym are that you get to go over things mentally and sometimes, having been inside all week, they’ll be ready to go out and hit somebody.”

“Our gym’s not air conditioned,” Faircloth added. “They ran out of money before they got to the gym, so we’ll be practicing in (high temperatures).”

Faircloth said getting a good pass rush against the Bunkie offense will be important for his team, as he expects Leary to play at 100 percent against Vidalia Friday.

“Last year, he was kind of injured with a knee problem,” Faircloth said. “This year, he’s healthy as a hoot owl.”